While the DP World Tour has had a chance to take centre stage over the last couple of months, it does feel as if the season is ending with something of a damp squib, with Rory McIlroy all but assured of yet another Race to Dubai title.
The DP World Tour has arguably been the biggest loser since LIV Golf arrived on the scene. So the run of events the tour has had in recent weeks has been particularly important, with impressive fields at the Irish Open and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in particular.
But it is not only the PGA Tour which is struggling to find a play-off structure which rewards the season’s best players while also creating some serious drama. Heading into the DP World Tour Championship, only Rory McIlroy and Thriston Lawrence can win the Race to Dubai. Lawrence however, needs to win and McIlroy to finish lower than 11th to overtake the 35-year-old.
Meanwhile, Jon Rahm decided against even playing in the DP World Tour Championship, in what was clearly a big blow to the tour.
DP World Tour urged to make significant change to the play-offs
Of course, there is a big question over how the DP World Tour will look once the game comes back together. But speaking on the Golf Channel Podcast, Ryan Lavner has suggested that the play-offs cannot continue as they are.
“This has to change. We’ve spent so much time over the course of our careers on this podcast diagnosing and dissecting what’s wrong with the FedEx Cup play-offs, and we’ve spent zero time ever saying what the DP World Tour is doing about their season finale,” he said.
“This situation is ripe for matchplay, and having a culmination of a season that’s really fun to watch on a fun golf course, with more of the best players in the world. Billy Horschel, to his credit, the BMW PGA Champion from a couple of months ago is in the field this week in Dubai, but none of his friends are.
“None of the players on the PGA Tour who are American have come over and made the trip. You’d love to see some sort of co-sanctioned matchplay event on the DP World Tour to have more of a bang at the end of the year.”
A missed opportunity for the DP World Tour
It does appear that the DP World Tour has missed a trick not capitalising more on how quiet the golfing calendar is. Unfortunately, the formation of LIV Golf and the introduction of signature events on the PGA Tour has meant that the early months of the year are a lot tougher on the European circuit.
Just having the likes of Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton play at a number of their events later on in the season is unlikely to keep the DP World Tour competitive in the long-term. So it may be wise during the Fall season on the PGA Tour, and the off-season on LIV, to introduce a unique format which helps the DP World Tour really stand out again.
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